Corydon's History of Schools

Corydon's first teacher was Dr. West who taught in a small log cabin. These log cabins were privately-paid classes. Only the wealthiest could have the best education. Around 1838, Mr. Hutchins started a boy's school in the Old State Capitol Building located in the heart of Corydon. In 1839, the building was thought unfit for students and the Lutheran Church became its successor. After the Lutheran Church burned in 1872, a new larger building was constructed.

A Typical Corydon School in 1915

Ohio Valley Normal College

On April 7, 1896, the Ohio Valley Normal College was built here in historical Corydon. This was the best place to get a degree in all of Southern Indiana. In 1908, the Ohio Valley Normal College, that was originally used to train educators, was now being used to train students. It was made the official High School of Corydon. The joining of New Amsterdam and Mauckport schools at Corydon was undertaken in 1950 and New Middletown joined in 1955 creating Corydon Central High School.

Another look at the Ohio Valley Normal College

Corydon's Black Schools

Corydon's first segregated black school

Corydon has had quite a long history of black students. The first black school was founded by Professor William H. Fouse (photo at right) in 1897 was followed by several others until about 1949 when the black students joined the white students in the Corydon High School. After the unification of the black and white schools, the former black school became known as the "Annex" and was used as overflow classroom space for Corydon Elementary 1st and 2nd grades. When a new elementary school was built, the Annex was vacated and remained empty for several years until it was restored as an historic site, the Leora Brown School. The school was named in honor of Mrs. Brown who taught at the school for many years. The Brown school now serves not only the historic purpose of educating visitors of the time when the school served the black community of Harrison County, but also as a learning and performance center for a wide variety of activities from conferences on racism to musical concerts.

Professor Funk

Superintendents

In 1876 Prof. Joseph Potts Funk became the first Superintendent in Corydon until 1887. Professor Joseph Potts Funk organized and founded Corydon High School in 1876 with first graduates in 1879. A native of Elizabeth, Indiana, Prof. Funk received his college education from Bloomington Campus of Indiana University and later at N.N.C. Lebanon, Ohio. After leaving his position here in 1887 he became principal at New Albany High, which he held until his death in 1904.

Below is a list of only a few of Corydon's Superintendents.

Funk 1876-1887

George B. Haggett 1887-1890

Ed S. Hallet 1890-1893

C. E. Shafer 1893-1894

Jesse W. Riddle 1894-1904

A. E. Martin 1904-1906

E. T. Franklin 1906-1907

Emmet Taylor 1907-1910

Frank R. Wilson 1910-1911

Chas. E. Sandifur 1911-1914

Oscar F. Koch 1914-1916

Walter D. Bean 1916-1919

B. S. Fisher 1919-1921

J. George Reuter 1921-1926

Herman A. Tucker 1926-1930

J. Carol Rice 1930-1938

Maurice E. Stanley 1938-1942

Rovert S. Bulleit 1942-1949

Kenneth E. Pitts 1949

William Fellmy 1949-1952

W.J. Wolpert 1952-1958

Robert Garvue 1958-1960

T.J. Starr 1960-1963

Edmund Schneider 1963-1984

1970-consolidated to South Harrison Community School Corp.

1984-1988 Richard Hanaway (died in office-July 9, 1988)

Larry Carlson 1988-1991

Dr. Kenneth Kidd 1991-1996

1996-present Dr. Neyland G. Clark

All information by Frederick P. Griffen, Dr. Neyland Clark and the Corydon Democrat.

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